Now this probably isn't going to work if you've been smoking for a very long time, you'd probably be better off using some sort of nicotine weaning system (gum, patches, etc.) but what I did was:

1. Buy herbal cigarettes(the non-tobacco crap with marshmallow roots and garbage. I believe American Spirit still makes them) 2. Every time you have a serious craving go smoke a whole one-- do not allow yourself to only smoke part of one. They STINK. You can not smoke them inside the house and you certainly aren't going to smoke them anywhere you would be around people. This forces you to go outside and avoid people, killing any social aspect and there is no nicotine in them. 3. Eventually your brain will start to associate smoking with stupidity, bad smells, shame, avoidance etc... and it becomes a lot easier to quit. 4. Develop Asthma after quitting

I had been smoking about 15 years, I guess, when I stopped at age 31. I had one kid and we had another on the way. My Mom had earlier that year, been diagnosed with Lung Cancer.

so, it was coming up on New Years and I was going to do the New Year's resolution thing. About the 27th or so, I kind of said, why wait, handed what was left in my pack to a homeless guy as I headed for the train and that was it.

I had never smoked in our house, so that was easy. My truck was tough, so I stayed out of it a couple days, it was a long weekend with a holiday in there.

come back to work was tough (that was in the days you could smoke inside), but I went to the guys and asked them not to give me a cig if I asked, tell me if I wanted one to buy a pack.

after a couple weeks, I was good. I never smoked Cigarettes again. I have smoked a cigar or two since then, mostly playing golf.

so, that's been 20 years or so now. Wow. Time flies.

We'll be back right after order has been restored here in the Omni Center.

That the universe was formed by a fortuitous concourse of atoms, I will no more believe than that the accidental jumbling of the alphabet would fall into a most ingenious treatise of philosophy - Swift

Originally posted by CajunManAnybody quit smoking cigarettes? How did you do it?

Prayer.

I quit smoking when I was 25, so I had been smoking for about a decade. I was a heavy smoker; minimum two packs a day; most days three; sometimes more. Keep in mind that this was a time when you could smoke virtually everywhere; and even in many places where they had "No Smoking" signs (like movie theaters) people rarely made a fuss if you discreetly lit a cigarette.

Anyway, long story short. I asked the Almighty to heal me of my nicotine addiction. Once I accepted by faith that He had done that, it then became a matter of choosing to no longer partake. I had my last cigarette January 16, 1988.

The hardest part? Making the decision to be a non-smoker. That first step, deciding that from that point forward an activity that had been a constant in my every day life (not to mention a significant portion of my persona), would cease, forever, was definitely the most difficult. Once I was sure that I really wanted to spend the rest of my life as a non-smoker, the rest (by the grace of God) fell into place.

I once knew a married couple from work that couldn't quit and went to a hypnotist. They thought it was a waste of time, but a friend of theirs talked them into it and said it was the real deal and it worked on him. They had previously tried everything to get off cigs, so they gave in.

The wife was able to quit after one session. Hubby was able to quit after 2 sessions.

In the end, it doesn't matter what methodology you choose to quit. Until you really make the decision in your mind to quit, it won't happen, as Downtown Bookie mentioned earlier.

I smoked for 25+ years, attempting to quit over the last 10 of those at least twice a year. I tried the patch, I tried Nicorette, etc... Everything at least once. It didn't seem to matter. I liked doing it.

When I got married I promised my wife I would quit; broke that one. When we had our first child, I promised; broke that one. When we had our second, same deal... My Dad smoked for 50+ years, but had a stroke and lived in a wheelchair the last 10 years of his life. Still I smoked...

On March 9, 2009, I quit. Cold turkey. No patch, gum, hypnosis, etc... In the end, I am not sure what did it, but last year I finally made up my mind that I didn't want to do it anymore.

1+ year into it and I still think about it at times. As AWA mentioned, I had to take myself out of the situations where I smoked the most. In my car on the way to and from work was the hardest. So I talked to my boss and worked at home often at the beginning. I also drove my wifes car to work, which meant I couldn't smoke.

Now, I am proud to not be a smoker. I feel better and my wife and kids are much happier!!

I used to smoke a few times a day and decided to cut that back to at most a few times a month. I did it by going for a run after coming home from a week-long vacation during which I did not smoke at all. The difference in performance finally put the harm smoking does to the body in perspective and that was my catalyst. So, perhaps find something physical to relate to your goals.

Lloyd: When I met Mary, I got that old fashioned romantic feeling, where I'd do anything to bone her.Harry: That's a special feeling.

I agree with a lot of tips in the previous posts... But what finally worked for me was NOT avoiding all the places and situations that I associated with smoking. I went to the bar the first week I quit... I got stuck in traffic... hung out with my smoking friends. Every time I had attempted to quit before the last time, I had avoided all my triggers and as soon as I went back...boom... pass me a cigarette! But I had made the decision to quit and I wasn't going to let it win and I think because I faced them early with my resolve firmly intact, it finally stuck. This last April has been 8 years after smoking for over 25 years.... Good Luck!